Heel for footwear



Oct. 29, 1929. w. J. DE WITT HEEL FOR FOOTWEAR Filed Sept. 24, 1927trated-varlous desirable embodiments of-the Patented Oct. 29, 1929UNITED STATES WILLIAM J. DE WITT, OF AUBURN, NEW.

PATENT OFFICE" YORK, ASSIGITOB'TQ THE SHOE roam oo.,

INC.', on AUBURN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION on NEW YORK HEEL FORApplication filed September 24, 1927. Serial No."221,833.

This invention pertains to footwear and more particularly to heels fqrboots, shoes, etc.,. and constitutes an improvement upon the heeldisclosed in my copending application Serial No. 104,366, filed April24, 1926. In the aforesaid application I have disclosed a hollow heelformed by molding, pressure or otherwise from suitable material, forexample celluloid, and in said application I have pointed out some ofthe advantages of such heels as compared with solid heels made of woodor built up from lifts of leather,-etc.

In accordance with the present invention I retain all of the advantagesset forth in my aforesaid application together with additionalbeneficial features, among which may be mentioned increased strength andability to withstand high temperatures without permanent deformation.

i In the accompanying drawings I have illus- -'invention by way ofexample, and in the drawings Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevationillustrating certain elements of a heel attach; ing machine and showingthe improved heel in position for attachment to a shoe, the latterbeing-indicated in broken lines;

Fig. 2 i a vertical section showing details of my improved heel andindicating its position with respect to a shoe, the latter being shownin broken lines;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section showing a slightly modified form of heel;

Figsfl, 5 and 6 are also vertical sections showing furthermodifications;

- Fig. 7 is a side elevation showing one desirable form of core memberadapted to constitute an element of the improved heel;

Fig. 8 is a section substantially on the line ,Fig. 9 is a side'elevation of a further modified form of core member;

Fig. 10 is a section on the line 10-10 of Fig. 9; and

Fig. 11 is a section similar to Fig. 2 illustrating a furthermodification.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 I designates generally theimproved heel which noo'rwnAR cordance with the style of'shoe to whichit is to be attached. As here shown this heel has a substantiallystraight breast surface and is of the style commonly known as a Cubanheel. In accordance with the present invention my improved heelcomprises an outer body portion or shell 2 which may be made of anysuitable material such, for example, as celluloid, a phenol condensationproduct, hard'rubber, paper or paper pulp,- such plastic or moldablematerials being shaped tothe desired configuration by molding orpressure, or it may be shaped from wood or any other suitable materialby appropriate means. This body portion or shell 2 is holiow, having aninternal cavity similar to the heel described in my aforesaidapplication. Conveniently this cavity opens at the breast surface of theheel, although conceivably it-may open at some other point and undersome circumstances may be permainenjtly and completely closed. Some ofthe materials which may be conveniently be used in making heels are notas strong as might be desired, particularly'when exposed to such hightemperatures as may occur when the heel is worn in hot climates, and forthis reason in accordance with the present invention I provide the heelwith internal reinforcing means, preferably in the form of a hollowbox-like core 3. This core may be of any desired material providing therequisite strength and stiffness, but for the intended purposeI findthat metal is quite detively' small and of more or less box-like form,

it is usually sufliciently strong if made of one of the softer metalssuch, for example, as aluminum or copper, aluminum being particularlydesirable by reason of its light weight. However, for certain purposeshereinafter more fully referred to I may prefer to employ a harder metalsuch, for example, as steel.

As shown the upper surface 4 of the core is substantially flat andconstitutes a nail clenching element as hereafter described. Likewisethe lower surface 5 of the core may also be flat and constitutes aclenching sur face for the fasteners which hold the top lift in place.

In order firmly'to unite the core and outer shell 2 I may, if desired,provide the side Walls atleast of the core with perforationsor openings6, and when the outer shell 2 is made by molding or pressure smallportions of the material of the outer shell enter these openings in thecore and interlock therewith, thus very securely uniting the parts.

In accordance with one desirable construction the forward edge 7. of thecore, as more clearly illustrated in Fig. 3, is spaced rear w'ardly aslight distance from the breast surface of the shell 2, thus providing arabbet or recess adapted to'receive the edges of a cover plate 8. Thiscover plate may be of any suitable material, and after the heel has beenat: tached to the shoe, as will be described hereinaftei', this coverplate is placed in position and secured by means of adhesive or in anyother desired manner. Obviously if the opening leading to the cavity inthe shell is at some other part of the heel, the recess and and1 coverlate will be located correspondlng ya .In making the heel, the uppersurface4 of the core is spaced a suitable distance below" the seatsurface 9 of the shell 2 and in the same way the lower surface 5 of thecore is spaced a suitable distance above the lower surface 10 I of theshell. If desired the heel may be provided with atop lift 12 of suitablematerial adapted to give the desired finish and to provide a goodwearing surface. This-top lift may thus be of leather, rubber or thelike, and V is secured in position by means of fasteners 13.Inaccordance-with the present arrangementthese fasteners may be, andpreferably are, tacks or' nails rather than the usual slugs and whendriven, thelr points .come lnto contact with the lower surface 5 of thecore, and

Inrattaching the heel to the shoe,the latter,

, indicated at14c in Fig. 1, may be mounted upon the jack of-a heelirigmachine of usual type and the heel 1 is placed upon the heel seat of theshoe. Preferably, although not necessarily, the nailing machine isprovided with an anvil 15 adapted to enter the cavity with in the core3, while the heel is held in position during nailing by'the usual clamps16 and 17. The nails 18 are driven upwardly through the sole of the shoeand into the heel, and as the points of the nails come into contact withthe surface 4 of the core they are turned and clenched, thus securelyholding the heel in position. If. the core 3 be suitably stiff and hard,it is not necessary to insert the anvil 15 duringi'the nailingoperation, althoughI prefer to employ the anvil since it permits me touse a core of thinner material than would be necessary were the corealone depended upon to turn the points of the nails. rAfter the heel hasbeen attached to the shoe as above described the cover plate 8 is placedin position, and if ample as wood, it may be desirable either beforeattaching the heel or after attaching it to provide the heel with asuitable covering such, for example, as leather, paint, celluloid or thelike. c H

In Fig. 3 I have illustrated a somewhat simpler form of core, such core3 being without the perforations above described but being in otherrespects similar to the core 3 shown in Fig. 2.

In Fig. 4 the core 3 which 1851111113.? to

the core shown in Fig. 3, is set-back further from the breast surface ofthe heel and the material of the outer shell 2 is permittedto project,as shown at 22, in front of the edge in position. In this instance theouter shell 2 is provided with a recess or rabbet at 23 for therec-eptioof the cover member in the same Way as above described. I In Fig. 5theco're 3 is open at its as wellas at its frond-except for a narrowflange 19 which is provided to facilitate the proper location of thecore within the outer shell, and its forward edge is flush with thebreast surf'aceof the heel. When a core such as shown in Fig. 5 isemployed, an anvil 20 is introduced into the cavity within the coreduring the driving of the top lift fasteners 13, the latter beingclenched and turned lower side of the core so as to hold the lattersecurely After this heel has been attached tothe shoe,

a cover plate 21 may beapplied tothe breast surface of the heel,'suchcover plate, as here shown, engaging the breast surface of the shell2and extending to the edges of the latter at allsides. This cover may besecured by adhesive or otherwise and may be finished in any suitablemanner to provide the desired external appearance. Obviously thisarrangement of cover may be used with any of the types of core hereindescribed, if desired, while,,on the other hand, the coreof Fig. 5

may beset into the outer shell to accommodate any of the other forms ofcover shown."

In Fig. 6 I have illustrated a core 3 which iscompletely enclosedwithin'the outer shell or body 2. Such, a.'core may be used if it be ofsufliciently hard and strong material to turn the points of the nailswithout th' support furnished by an anvil, and the employment of such acore avoids the necessity of providing the'heel with an independentcover plate".-

In Figs.'7'and- I8 I have illustrated a core 3 having side walls whichare corrugated as indicated at 24. The alternate ribs and recesses ofsuch wall have an interlocking action with the materialof the outershell, thus in the same Way as the perforations shown in Fig. 2 helpingto hold the parts in fixed assembled relation. In Figs. 9 and 10 I haveshown a core 3 whose side walls at least consist of a woven orreticulated fabric 25. The small openings in this core interlock withthe material of the shell and thus hold the parts securely together.

When cores such as shown in Figs. 2, 7 9 and 10 are used, the intimateunion between the outer shell and the core provides a very substantialreinforcingeffect for the outer shell so that even though the latter beof some material which is normally weak or rcsilient or which issoftened by heat or moisture, the presence of the core will tend to keepthe heel in proper shape and prevent it from spreading or buckling.

In Fig. 11 the core 3, the shell 2?, and the cover plate 8" aresubstantially like corresponding parts shown in Fig. 2 except that thecore is open at its top except for a small positioning flange 19". Whensuch a core is employed the attaching nails 18 are clenched directlyagainst the surface of the anvil. This arrangement is sometimespreferred as it lessens the amount of material used in making the coreand avoids any possibility of loosening the core in the shell and thuslessening its reinforcing effect. Obviously the core may be left open atboth top and bottom if desired.

My new heel thus has the advantage of lightness as compared with solidheels, it is readily and firmly attached to theshoe, it may hemade ofmaterials which have not previously been considered sufliciently strongand durable for shoe heels, it may readily be given the desired externalcontour and ornamental appearance, it may be attached by the use ofusual means and mechanisms, and it may be made so cheaply as to competewith solid wood heels or other cheap forms of heel.

I claim 1. A hollow shoe heel comprising a body of material throughwhich a heel attaching nail may be driven, and a nail clenching element,hard enough to turn the point of the shoe nail, embedded in saidmaterial.-

2. A shoe lreel comprising a body of material through which a heelattaching nail may be driven, said body of material having a cavitytherein, and a nail clenching element of relatively hard material liningone wall at least of said cavity.

3. A shoe heel comprising a hollow metallic core embedded in an outershell of celluloid, said core having a nail clenching upper surfacespaced from the upper or seat surface of the heel.

4. A shoe heel comprising an outer shell and a hollow reinforcing core,said shell and core having registering openings, the edge beted toprovide a marginal recess, and a cover adapted to have its edge seatedinfsaid recess and to close said aperture.

5. A shoe heel comprising a hollow metal core provided with nailclenching surfaces at top and bottom, an outer shell embracing saidcore, a top lift engaging the lower surface of said outer shell, andfastening elements passing through said top lift'and into the materialof the shell, said fastening elements being clenched against the lowersurface of the core.

6. A shoe heel comprising a hollow boxlike core open at one side, anouter shell embracing'said core, said shell having an openingregistering with the open side of the core, the material of the shelloverlapping the edges of the core at the open side of the latter, "andmeans for closing the opening in the outer shell.

7. A shoe heel comprising a hollow metallic core having substantiallyflat nail clenching surface at its top and bottom, an outer shell ofcelluloid, said outer shell and a portion at least of the side walls ofthe core having interlocking complemental elements, the shell and corehaving registering openings at the breast surface of the heel, meansclosing the opening in the outer shell, a top lift engaging the undersurface of the outer shell, clenched fastening means holding the toplift in place,and clenched fastener means engaging the upper part of'the shell for holding the heel in place.

8.. A shoe heel comprising a hollow boxlike core and an outer shellembracing the core, one side at least of the core being substantiallyopen and spaced from the outer surface of the shell, and clenchedfasteners engaging the material of the shell at the open side of thecore.

9. A shoe heel comprising a hollow core and an outer shell embracing thecore, the

upper side of the core being substantially open and spaced from the seatsurface of the heel, and fasteners extending, downwardly into thematerial of the shell, said fasteners

